Funding models to support innovative SMEs: INNOSUP calls

Submitted by Tedora Aibu on 23 June 2020

Summary of the European Alliance Against Coronavirus Daily Webinar on 19 June 2020 

Marek Przeor, team leader Cluster Policy from DG Grow, opened the discussion about European calls INNOSUP in order to explain funding models for innovative SMEs in four main fields: finance, access to market, knowledge, and human capital. Within the Horizon 2020 work programme, one of the main challenges is to create awareness and convey the message that cluster facilitated projects in fact generate new industrial value chains and create innovation for SM’s. From 2015 to 2019, 24 projects have designed new business models, generated knowledge, and established new value chain in the EU. The biggest beneficiaries of Horizon 2020 come from Spain, France and German, covering different sector, especially ICT and agri-food.

In order to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation, the European Commission offers different tools, including innovative vouchers, lump sums, awards and prizes, hackathons, innovation clubs and virtual rooms, peer-to peer evaluation by entrepreneurs, and crow-funding.

Talking about the long-term goal and budget, the Commission´s proposal covers a seven-year EU budget of 1.850 billion EUR: 1.100 billion for 2021-2027 and a temporary reinforcement of 750 billion EUR for the “Next Generation EU”. The main scope is to invest in sustainable infrastructure, research, innovation and digitisation, small and medium-sized companies and social investment and skills in order to have a smart growth in cohesion policy. In this context, the EU Commission aims to create a direct influence to join initiatives for Europe’s recovery to develop value chains interlinkages in the EU single market, build capacity to increase strategic autonomy, reinforce transformation into a greener and more digital economy. Clusters play an important role for SMEs in order to be resilient, green and digital.

Santiago Cuesta, Fundación ICAMcLy introduced the INNOSUP project MINE.THE.GAP. Raw materials are essential for many sectors and a clean transition toward a sustainable mobility agenda is crucial. The work in the mining industry is a very exigent work in human extreme conditions with restricted space and accessibility and was during the pandemic period, which is why the project included a COVID-19 related call in its agenda.

A recording of the session is available here 

These are the complete minutes of the meeting: 

20200619 ECA dailyminutes_v2.pdf

These are the presentations from Fundación ICAMcLy and Cluster Policy from DG GROW:

Marek Przeor GROW F2_Innosup-1 projects.pdf RawMaterials-restructuration-SCuestaR.pdf

Find information on the previous meetings hereinformation on the upcoming agenda here.  

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